The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are working to lay the scientific and regulatory foundations for Ghana’s emerging low-THC cannabis industry, with emphasis on industrial production, medicinal applications and strict monitoring.
The collaboration focuses on cannabis containing not more than 0.3 per cent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), commonly known as hemp, as authorities seek to harness its economic potential while preventing legally cultivated plants from being diverted into the illicit market.
Director-General of NACOC, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, said the development of the industry must be accompanied by effective regulation covering every stage of the production process.
He said NACOC would enforce the legal requirements governing the cultivation, processing and use of low-THC cannabis, stressing that oversight could not be limited to the licensing of farms.
According to him, controls must begin with the selection of seeds and continue through cultivation, processing and the final use of hemp-derived products.
Major General Mantey made the remarks during a meeting between NACOC and CSIR management to explore areas of collaboration, particularly scientific research into the medicinal and industrial potential of low-THC cannabis.
He said Ghana could only build a sustainable industry if regulation was supported by scientific research, reliable laboratory testing and effective traceability systems.
“We are not only looking at licensing cultivation,” he said, emphasising the need to monitor the entire value chain to ensure compliance with the law.
CSIR to provide scientific backing
The Director of the CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR), Dr Francis Boateng Agyeinim, welcomed the regulatory measures and said a properly managed hemp industry could create opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and medicine.
He said CSIR was prepared to provide the technical expertise required to improve cultivation, including research into appropriate hemp varieties, soil conditions and growing environments.
A major component of the proposed partnership will be the establishment of model greenhouse farms to demonstrate appropriate cultivation practices.
The two institutions also plan to work on suitable seedlings and undertake soil testing to determine which geographical areas and soil types are most appropriate for hemp cultivation while ensuring that THC levels remain within the permitted threshold.
Traceability to prevent diversion
Traceability will be another major pillar of the collaboration.
Dr Agyeinim said licensed farms would need to be closely monitored and indicated that CSIR could support NACOC in developing systems to track cultivation and production.
He said Ghana’s soil conditions could support hemp varieties with high fibre content, creating opportunities for the crop to serve as a raw material for a range of industrial products.
Among the potential applications, he cited the use of hemp fibre in manufacturing, including possible alternatives to plastic packaging and materials for sanitary products.
The partnership will also involve laboratory analysis and research into the properties of hemp and its derivatives.
The institutions expect the research findings to provide evidence-based information for farmers, regulators, processors and other stakeholders seeking to participate in the regulated cannabis value chain.
Rather than simply increasing cannabis cultivation, NACOC and CSIR are seeking to establish an industry built around science, regulation and accountability from the outset.
The two institutions are expected to ensure that all cultivation and research activities comply with Ghana’s regulatory requirements, particularly the 0.3 per cent THC ceiling, while putting safeguards in place to prevent diversion into illegal markets.
The collaboration forms part of broader efforts to explore the economic and industrial opportunities presented by regulated low-THC cannabis without compromising public health, safety and national security.
